Cost of Living Comparison Between Saham and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Saham and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $817 per month in Saham vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,208 per month in Saham vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,598 per month in Saham vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Saham is about 19% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Saham and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Saham 39% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.14 OMR 1.98

$5.99 COP 21.3K

-14.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.89 OMR 9.97

$32.86 COP 116.9K

-21.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.01 OMR 3.08

$7.09 COP 25.2K

12.98%

Cappuccino

$4.79 OMR 1.84

$1.71 COP 6,093

180.12%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.10 COP 3,910

-7.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 OMR 0.12

$0.78 COP 2,771

-58.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.45 OMR 4.79

$1.68 COP 5,976

641.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.67 OMR 4.49

$3.07 COP 10.9K

280.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 OMR 0.74

$1.09 COP 3,892

76.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 OMR 0.45

$1.26 COP 4,492

-6.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 OMR 0.64

$1.38 COP 4,905

21.01%

Eggs

$2.45 OMR 0.94

$2.19 COP 7,799

11.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.68 OMR 1.42

$4.40 COP 15.7K

-16.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.97 OMR 1.91

$5.63 COP 20.0K

-11.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.41 OMR 3.24

$8.89 COP 31.6K

-5.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 OMR 1.00

$2.34 COP 8,319

11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 OMR 0.66

$1.06 COP 3,764

61.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 OMR 0.72

$1.50 COP 5,355

24.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 OMR 0.44

$1.38 COP 4,906

-17.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 OMR 0.37

$1.15 COP 4,097

-16.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 OMR 0.37

$1.16 COP 4,141

-16.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 OMR 0.42

$0.89 COP 3,170

22.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 OMR 0.22

$0.84 COP 2,986

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.48 OMR 2.50

$2.28 COP 8,116

184.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.43 OMR 5.94

$10.64 COP 37.9K

45.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.20 OMR 1.62

$1.20 COP 4,268

250.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.98 OMR 3.07

$2.47 COP 8,793

223.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 OMR 1.22

$1.47 COP 5,245

116.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 OMR 0.31

$1.96 COP 6,984

-58.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.30 OMR 3.96

$7.74 COP 27.5K

33.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

$0.95 COP 3,397

-36.84%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$23.2K OMR 8,926

$18.1K COP 64.5M

27.87%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.3K OMR 8,198

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-19.60%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$106 OMR 40.72

$82.3 COP 292.7K

28.60%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$40.95 OMR 15.76

$9.50 COP 33.8K

331.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 OMR 27.13

$24.23 COP 86.2K

190.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

Cinema Ticket

$10.34 OMR 3.98

$3.93 COP 14.0K

163.10%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$193 OMR 74.2

$309 COP 1.1M

-37.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K OMR 3,865

$5,965 COP 21.2M

68.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 OMR 19.59

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-13.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.91 OMR 14.98

$32.35 COP 115.1K

20.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.5 OMR 30.97

$103 COP 365.1K

-21.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 OMR 34.40

$108 COP 385.8K

-17.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

13.43

-61.65%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Saham: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Saham versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $229 in Saham vs $188 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Saham vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 24%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,226 per month in Saham and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Saham and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 21% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Saham, where all-in costs run around $817, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Saham it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saham – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Saham. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.